Romans 8:16

Romans 8:16. The Spirit itself; the Holy Spirit

Beareth witness with, or, ‘to,' our spirit, our renewed spirit, in which the Holy Spirit dwells. But it is doubtful whether we should render ‘with , ' or, ‘to.' The former sense necessarily involves the latter (the converse is not true), and is somewhat preferable grammatically. This implies a twofold witness: of the Holy Spirit, and also of our renewed spirit. If it be asked, to whom is the witness borne? the answer is to the man himself, who needs both so long as he is here and disturbed by doubt and sin. The clause is an important one, in warranting an assurance of salvation, and also in marking the distinction between the Holy Spirit and our spirit.

That we are children of God. This is what is testified, and for such assurance we may seek, however fanaticism has perverted the passage. ‘That the world deny any such testimony in the hearts of believers, and that they look on it with scorn and treat it with derision, proves only that they are unacquainted with it; not that it is an illusion' (Stuart).